It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own; if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can dis…

Three years ago I celebrated my first Mothers Day as a mom-to-be. I thought I had some idea of what lay ahead, but looking back I had none.

No idea of the otherworldly, heart-shattering love, no idea of the daily challenges and how my patience, my tolerance, my ability to slow down, to practice love in times of chaos and exhaustion, to practice selflessness and faith, humility, to grow comfortable with imperfection and to learn to set boundaries with an attitude of love, to be firm without losing it, and to know that as hard as I try I will never live up to our society's pretty unrealistic standards of perfection. I had no idea what would be tested and what I would learn. Most of all, I have learned that love and presence are more important than the perfect anything.

I never knew how becoming a mother would be my greatest teacher, not just as a mother, but as a woman, a partner, a daughter, sister, friend, and a member of this great big, beautiful, imperfect world.

"Playing your part in the re-villaging of our culture starts with being wholly, unapologetically, courageously YOU. Here are a few tangible steps you can take whenever you’re ready:Get really clear on one thing: the fact that you’re struggling is not a reflection of your inadequacies, but the unnatural cultural circumstances you’re living within.Own and honor your needs. Most mothers are walking around with several deeply unmet needs of their own while focusing almost exclusively on the needs of others. This is precisely the thing that keeps us from gaining traction and improving our circumstances, both individually and collectively.Practice vulnerability. Rich, safe, authentic connection is essential for thriving. Cultivating this quality of connection takes courage, and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone. What you want most exists on the other side of that initial awkward conversation or embarrassing introduction. Own your strengths. What makes you feel strong and …

“I’m convinced that the discovery of a true God and the discovery of the true self are simultaneous journeys, and they feed one another. When you meet the true self, you’re most open to a bigger, truer name for God. When you meet a bigger, truer, more loving God, you surrender to that same identity within yourself.” - Richard Rohr

“…Love is something we have to learn, and we can make progress with. It's not just an enthusiasm; it’s a skill. It requires forbearance, generosity, imagination, and a million things besides… We must fiercely resist the idea that true love must mean conflict-free love, that the course of true love is smooth. It’s not. The course of true love is rocky and bumpy at the best of times. That’s the best we can manage as the creatures we are, that flawed humanity, the better chance we’ll have of doing the true hard work of love.” - Alain de Botton (from On Being w Krista Tippett)